solara designtech remote starter removal

looking for some advice. Car: 2000 Toyota Solara SE I4 2.2L Original alarm: seems to have RS3000 dealer alarm-immobilizer (currently inactive Status Monitor), have no remote for it, ordered it off the ebay. Current "alarm": Designtech Remote Starter Command Module (red label) with a remote I bought the car 3 years ago from a private guy who did the installation of Designtech "starter/alarm". he gave me only the aftermarket remote (no toyota remote) and a key which doesn't have the T logo on it (not sure if it is master, but looks like it has the chip in it). My problem is the way he wired remote starter, in short: -loud horn sounds when locking/unlocking doors with aftermarket remote, seems he connected horn to Designtech "alarm" -cannot use the aftermarket remote to program original ECU, -immobilizer never engages after "arming" the aftermarket alarm (audible only), ECU may be disabled, -Toyota Security Status Monitor is always OFFLINE (indication of disabled ECU ?). Can someone tell me how to safely remove that remote starter module (simply unplug all cables from it???) and make sure that original ECU starts working? do i have to re-route or replug any cables, or simply unplug the remote starter and make sure the org ECU is plugged in? I was told that ECU is located under armrest - will check on it tomorrow. What bothers me is that original alarm (RS3000 VIP) Status Monitor "Toyota Security" is OFFLINE always, so not sure if original system even works (is disarmed for sure). Never done such things before, don't want to brake something irreversibly. any help from more experienced users highly appreciated! thanks!

As far as the remote start part: You could just theoretically unplug everything from it (or even just disconnect the fuse on the constant-power wire) and it should be a non-issue. However, those DesignTech systems were cheap and sold mostly to do-it-yourselfers.........even if the car's previous owner seemed like a nice guy, I would immediately suspect a DIY-quality install......unless it works and you want to keep it, you might want to follow each wire all the way to wherever it terminates, and remove everything 100% to avoid any future problems. (Again, if it does work, and you do like remote start, you could just keep it in there.) Factory VIP alarm: What do you mean by "offline?" As in, the little red light doesn't flash at all? Does nothing whatsoever? Maybe the guy unplugged or disconnected it or something. The VIP systems are mostly what they call "T harness," as in you'd first unplug the wires from the car.......the alarm comes with a wire harness with one female and one male.......you plug it in between......I hope that makes some kind of sense? Anyway, there should be a T harness behind the ignition switch. Maybe the guy undid it? You'd have to drop the lower driver's dash and check. Chip key: I think in those years it was only the SLE V6 that got an immobilizer. Look in the instrument cluster, right in the middle of the tachometer. Do you have an old-fashioned looking rectangular LED with the word SECURITY next to it? If you don't, no factory immobilizer.

thanks for reply chris. i think for now i will just unplug everything from remote starter kit (it was a DIY unit, prev owner was a car electrician), i don't feel like keeping it, so may remove it completely, but i think i will leave wires (less work and i may plug it back in future). as per VIP alarm offline, that's exactly what happens, the red LED on Status Monitor never lights up no matter what i do with ignition key. thing is that currently i have no remote for VIP (just ordered it via ebay). today checked TVIP alarm ECU (under armrest in my car) and all cables are plugged into it as well as into Status Plate. I was told that this car model "may have" an immobilizer (was optional) and if this is the case guy needed to use an immobilizer bypass kit - this and fact that i never had original remote may caused VIP ECU to stay asleep all the time (no activity)... or dude has removed those T-harness plugs by ignition (i know what you mean, read about them in installation manual). Tomorrow will take off the knee panel and steering column panel to see everything. good thing is that i got ECU in place and all alarm components connected together, so it *should* work. As far as i remember I got no security LED on instrument panel ... so no immobilizer in my car? need to double check that.